(a) "Biobased product" defined
In this section, the term "biobased product" means a product suitable for food or nonfood use that is derived in whole or in part from renewable agricultural and forestry materials.
(b) Coordination of biobased product activities
The Secretary of Agriculture shall—
(1) coordinate the research, technical expertise, economic information, and market information resources and activities of the Department to develop, commercialize, and promote the use of biobased products;
(2) solicit input from private sector persons who produce, or are interested in producing, biobased products;
(3) provide a centralized contact point for advice and technical assistance for promising and innovative biobased products; and
(4) submit an annual report to Congress describing the coordinated research, marketing, and commercialization activities of the Department relating to biobased products.
(c) Cooperative agreements for biobased products
(1) Agreements authorized
The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with private entities described in subsection (d), under which the facilities and technical expertise of the Agricultural Research Service and the Forest Service may be made available to operate pilot plants and other large-scale preparation facilities for the purpose of bringing technologies necessary for the development and commercialization of new biobased products to the point of practical application.
(2) Description of cooperative activities
Cooperative activities may include—
(A) research on potential environmental impacts of a biobased product;
(B) methods to reduce the cost of manufacturing a biobased product; and
(C) other appropriate research.
(3) Authority of Secretary
To carry out a cooperative agreement with a private entity under paragraph (1), the Secretary may rent to the private entity equipment, the title of which is held by the Federal Government.
(d) Eligible partners
The following entities shall be eligible to enter into a cooperative agreement under subsection (c):
(1) A party that has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement with the Secretary under section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a).
(2) A recipient of funding from the Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation.
(3) A recipient of funding from the Secretary under a Small Business Innovation Research Program established under section 638 of title 15.
(e) Pilot project
The Secretary, acting through the Agricultural Research Service, may establish and carry out a pilot project under which grants are provided, on a competitive basis, to scientists of the Agricultural Research Service to—
(1) encourage innovative and collaborative science; and
(2) during each of fiscal years 1999 through 2012, develop biobased products with promising commercial potential.
(f) Source of funds
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), to carry out this section, the Secretary may use—
(A) funds appropriated to carry out this section; and
(B) funds otherwise available for cooperative research and development agreements under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.).
(2) Exception
The Secretary may not use funds referred to in paragraph (1)(B) to carry out subsection (e).
(g) Sale of developed products
For the purpose of determining the market potential for new biobased products produced at a pilot plant or other large-scale preparation facility under a cooperative agreement under this section, the Secretary shall authorize the private partner or partners to the agreement to sell the products.
(h) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2012.
References in Text
The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, referred to in subsec. (f)(1)(B), is Pub. L. 96–480, Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2311, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 63 (§3701 et seq.) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3701 of Title 15 and Tables.
Codification
Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.
Amendments
2009—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 111–88, §431(1), substituted "Agricultural Research Service and the Forest Service" for "Agricultural Research Service".
Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 111–88, §431(2), added par. (3).
2008—Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 110–246, §7304(a), substituted "2012" for "2007".
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 110–246, §7304(b), substituted "2012" for "2007".
2002—Subsec. (d)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 107–171, §6201(d)(4), redesignated pars. (3) and (4) as (2) and (3), respectively, and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: "A recipient of funding from the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation established under section 5902 of this title."
Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 107–171, §7124(a), substituted "2007" for "2001".
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 107–171, §7124(b), substituted "2007" for "2002".
Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of this title.
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